HULMAN FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind. –When it comes to resilience, it is very important to the 181st Intelligence Wing that all Airmen are mission ready. That is why the Human Performance Team(HPT) was created.
“We have many resources available to Airmen,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. In Suk Hong Peebles, the 181st IW chaplain. “We wanted to bring those resources together to become a team.”
That is how the HPT was born. It is a coordinated relationship with the sexual assault response coordinator ( SARC), chaplains, Wing Department of Psychological Health (DPH), and the Airman and Family Readiness Program manager (AFRPM).
“The team has been awesome because it gives us a platform to work as a group on issues that are global to the Wing,” said Mary Walker, 181st IW director of psychological health. “When we can put our heads together with our different disciplines, we can affect change more effectively.”
Being effective is key to having a successful mission. That is why Airmen have the resources readily available any time for any issue.
“When service members have issues, we have the resources to help them,” said Margaret Amos, the 181st IW AFRPM. “It does not have to be mission-related issues. It can be financial, employment or any other issue that they may have.”
It is highly encouraged by 181st IW leadership and Air Force-wide that Airmen reach out if help is needed, but at the same time the HPT will reach out to Airmen to build trust and a relationship.
“The HPT reaches out to Airmen to build trust,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Steven Martin, 181st Medical Group (MDG). “It is very important that we have communication and trust with our Airmen. They need to trust us and their leadership to know that they can come to us with an issue without breach of their security clearance or job.”
The HPT is available whenever the Airmen need them. When issues arise, it can be dealt with right then.
“They (the HPT) can relate to the issues that we are going through,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. April Simmons, a health systems technician assigned to the 181st MDG. “When someone needs help, they usually need it that day, so it is nice to receive help right when you need it.”
Ready, agile, capable, engaged, and resilient are the five guiding principles of the 181st IW and the HPT can help with all five.
“If you are feeling just a little off, reach out,” Simmons said. “People are here to support you and to take care of you. We are a family.”